Gears of War 2: Microsoft flubs gold Lancer offer [update]
by Xav de Matos 
{ Jan 28th 2009 at 1:53PM } 
According to the rep, everyone who obtained the Gold Lancer from the Xbox.com Marketplace will have the item removed from their games in an upcoming fix, in order to keep the weapon exclusive to Gears 2 Collector's Edition consumers. "We're currently attempting a fix that will expire all codes that were unexpectedly released in error through Xbox LIVE Marketplace," the representative noted.
How Microsoft will remove (or possibly disable) the art asset file and differentiate between legitimate owners and those who grabbed the guns as they fell off the back of the truck is unclear. A request for clarification on how or when the fix would be implemented has gone unanswered, but we'll update you as soon as we know more.
Update: While the original listing for the Gold Lancer remains on the Xbox.com Marketplace, the item now shows a price of 99999
. Gold Lancers received through the error have yet to be removed.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Mest @ Jan 28th 2009 1:59PM
well i got one yesterday and used it all night i dont see how there gonna take it away
Haggard @ Jan 28th 2009 2:51PM
I think you lack a very basic understanding of how patches work.
OMGOMG @ Jan 28th 2009 1:59PM
What a damn waste of time, Epic.
I know you've been working hard to make the game playable again, but shouldn't you continue to make Gears 2 the best online experience it can be instead of making sure only pre-ordered people get the gold lancer?
Snowblind @ Jan 28th 2009 2:04PM
Everyone complained a LOT when they screwed up with the Fable 2 content. Exclusive content should remain exclusive to those who went to the effort/expense of getting it. It may not seem like a huge deal, but I doubt it's all that difficult for them to do either.
Fafhrdd @ Jan 28th 2009 2:15PM
Hey I paid for that gold gun. Stop being so cheap and fork over the money if you want it...
I don't want any n00b weilding one when I paid good money for mine....
Good move MS/EPIC...
mattclarkie @ Jan 28th 2009 2:30PM
They better not take my gun away. I paid £45 for that LE and it sucked, the only good thing was the bloody gold lancer.
Lord Negatron @ Jan 28th 2009 2:35PM
In World of Warcraft ,If they can take away a rare weapon/accessory that ends up at a vendor for sale via bugs. In a few hours on patch day, Epic can do the same with the lancer.
People who spend weeks grinding in WoW, for Player vs Player gear, only to have some schlubb who bought it from a bug, pwning it up with them in PvP is not going to be happy. Like Snowblind said, people who paid in advance would feel the same thing.
Mest ,after the "fix" you will get in gears and it will be gone.
Strategy_Panda (Pot & Spoon 4 Life) @ Jan 28th 2009 2:59PM
WoW keeps a record of almost every action a player performs, so its a lot easier to track someone down and determine if they had exploited a bug or game mechanic in some way. Also, everything in WoW exists as code on Blizzard's servers, so its easy to take an item away from a player.
I'm guessing Microsoft keeps far less detailed statistics on their DLC. Also, the gold lancer skin exists as an object on a person's hard drive, so Microsoft would have to go into your HD and remove the file or Epic would have to release a patch that would not allow you to use the gold lancer file if you downloaded it during a spcific time period. Both solutions are messy.
Its far easier for MS to just say "fuck it" and drop the whole issue. Also, See: My conspiracy theory below.
Lord Negatron @ Jan 28th 2009 3:21PM
Thanks Panda as internet tech, is not my strong suit.
WiredKnight @ Jan 28th 2009 5:06PM
They should just get rid of all the gold weapons, then.
Cole @ Jan 28th 2009 1:59PM
When I downloaded this last night, i couldnt get it from my console. I had to download it online from xbox.com... I thought that was a little strange.
Mest @ Jan 28th 2009 2:01PM
mine worked dude it instantly downloaded it was only like 108kb
Ghen @ Jan 28th 2009 2:02PM
Is this going to screw up the bruce springsteen freebie in GH:WT too?
RHague @ Jan 28th 2009 2:07PM
It's just more ridiculous that this is the SECOND time they've screwed this up. A few weeks ago it was available for free too, then nabbed away before most people even heard.
This time it was up on slickdeals and other websites. RE-diculous.
LilTmac2003 @ Jan 28th 2009 2:09PM
Wow Microsoft. Two can play that game.
I'll gladly delete the GOLD Lancer off my HDD for 400 microsoft points.
Knight Marquise @ Jan 28th 2009 2:21PM
Oh, did you pay MS 400 ms points for that gold lancer?
arkweld @ Jan 28th 2009 2:09PM
it's damn ugly anyway. I used it for a day last year before it's massive cheesiness made me sick.
They should have gone with the Photoshop gold lancer mockup that did the rounds. That one looked pretty cool.
Tann @ Jan 28th 2009 2:11PM
well i was just about to try to download it (its in my que from xbox,com)
what a way to ruin my day!
i'd be willing to buy it for a fair price though...
Fredd @ Jan 28th 2009 2:11PM
I got the regular edition of the game and the gamestop people gave me a little card with a code that gave me the gold lancer for free
Anybody else get it this way?
Xav de Matos @ Jan 28th 2009 2:13PM
You might be thinking of the Gold Hammerburst.
Fredd @ Jan 28th 2009 2:15PM
Ill have to check it. Most of my friends online were giving me a hard time about not having it, then I put the code and Bam gold gun lol. I'll double check that it was the gold lancer, which Im pretty sure it was.
I'll post an update later
ronEbear @ Jan 28th 2009 2:12PM
Hence the reason why special editions are to be avoided.
"Special"
Neuromancer @ Jan 28th 2009 2:29PM
Yeah can't say how many times I've been screwed over by those
Dirty @ Jan 28th 2009 2:13PM
They can keep their gay gold lancer. This is just going to be a mess, with a bunch of people whining and complaining... over what.
copa @ Jan 28th 2009 2:22PM
"They can keep their gay gold lancer."
I'm not going to go that far. If I invite Epic to remove all of the gay-themed content from Gears Of War 2, I'll likely be left with nothing but the title screen.
Neuromancer @ Jan 28th 2009 2:30PM
Haha good one Copa.
Ice9 @ Jan 28th 2009 2:15PM
Damn, I thought it was legitimately free.
Deck @ Jan 28th 2009 2:16PM
Rofl. Way to go Microsoft! This doesn't seem like an Epic mistake, (this time) since MS runs the marketplace.
Well I guess no gold chainsaws for us!
Strategy_Panda (Pot & Spoon 4 Life) @ Jan 28th 2009 2:20PM
conspiracy theory here:
The gold lancer was released intentionally to increase interest in Gears 2, and give people a reason to go online and play the game
Haggard @ Jan 28th 2009 2:55PM
It does seems like a very odd thing to happen by mistake.
Perhaps testing the water of public opinion - like when a government has a "controlled leak".
Steven @ Jan 28th 2009 2:21PM
As someone who dropped the money on the collector's edition mostly just for the gold lancer I'm happy to see it was a mistake and they will be fixing it.
outlaw640 @ Jan 28th 2009 2:29PM
Yeah man I tell you what, as soon as the salesguy told me you got a gold plated lancer I was like no wai heres all my money
Knight Marquise @ Jan 28th 2009 2:22PM
Same here.
Wes @ Jan 28th 2009 10:05PM
D--t-t-o and I bought 2extras for my friends Marcus and phoenix. They were like no waiii! A golden lancer! I'd bend over backwards for that man!
Elite Wing @ Jan 28th 2009 2:28PM
I think what the the MS REP really meant was they forgot to release it without charging anything for it. What seems so stupid was the article was posted since yesterday and I still was able to get it today. FREE GOLD LANCER PLZ!
FluXs @ Jan 28th 2009 2:28PM
Uh oh... I already had the gold lancer from the LE, but I also downloaded it for the hell of it, hope they just dont go a wipe everyone who clicked the link.
Lord Negatron @ Jan 28th 2009 2:39PM
Why??? LOL!
sanclementejedi @ Jan 28th 2009 2:36PM
Indian givers lol, So what I gots mine already,
They should be givng that out for free since the online play on that game is a super glitchy epic fail anyway.
Besides who is playing this other than people who dont have left 4 dead which is far superior.
"I paid an extra $20 bucks for my special edition and now my mangina hurts" lol
Vcize @ Jan 28th 2009 4:49PM
The biggest problem with Gears 2 MP is that a lot of people (myself included) played the hell out of Gears 1 and expected Gears 2 to be more of the same, when in reality the game plays COMPLETELY differently.
I hated it at first, because all I wanted was Gears 1 with new maps/weapons/gametypes and maybe some prettier graphics. But as I continued to play it, it really grew on me and I now find it a ton of fun in its own right.
I think if Gears 1 had never existed then Gears 2 would have been just as well received as the first one was. Even as a fairly different game, it's still a ton of fun, even if it's different from Gears 1.
CyberKnight @ Jan 28th 2009 2:35PM
Well, I'm sure since they were so capable at detecting Fable II LE owners and restricting the LE download code to legitimate purchasers of that SKU, they should have no issues correcting this mistake either. *cough*
Gemini Ace @ Jan 28th 2009 2:35PM
This is ridiculous! Epic keeps trying to screw the used game market and then they pull shit like this with the maps and now the weapon. Somebody needs to punch Cliffy B in the testicles.
HaVoC @ Jan 28th 2009 10:43PM
Interesting. Most developers are saying that they are getting screwed by the used game market since they don’t get revenue from their IP when it is resold.
Brucie_K @ Jan 28th 2009 2:36PM
That thing doesn't even look cool. I'd just rather have the standard Lancer.
RIP R.L. Causton - YOU WILL ALWAYS BE MISSED (PSN johnnynumber5) @ Jan 28th 2009 2:38PM
I seriously have to ask if people are still playing this game online in competitive multiplayer. When I had it all I could stand to play was the outrageously amazing Horde mode. I can't see why people would force themselves to play such a horrible online experience especially when they could just go back to Gears 1 which is still better for online MP.
At least they improved the campaign this time around and made it enjoyable. With all the connectivity issues and added glitches the game was damn near unplayable for me. This has been the last bastion to make me keep my 360 but after it was released and so much worse than Gears 1 I had no reason to hold onto it anymore. Maybe i'll pick another one up if some more good games drop that I want.
The Espiritu (Viva La Joystiq!) @ Jan 28th 2009 2:53PM
So you sold you Xbox360 because you had a bad experience with GOW2?
Dude, there's other games for the 360 that you can enjoy not just Gears.
Ontoglory @ Jan 28th 2009 2:53PM
I dunno Johnny - I like GOW2 multi. I've been playing w/the same crew since GOW1 so matchmaking was never an issue (although I recognize it was for many) and althought the glitches were annoying it never affected our success and most of them are now gone (so far...).
I loved GOW1 but I'm glad to see that GOW2 is the kind of multi that Epic intended - very tactical, very teamwork oriented. It was never meant to be a run n' gun game, and although GOW1 had that element (shotgun fights) I was glad to see it gone. I've never understood playing w/strangers in a game like that and when you play with the same group consistently taking down another team is a wonderful exercise in orchestrated death. Just mho though.
Fenix - your thoughts? I see you online playing both....
xFenixKnightx @ Jan 28th 2009 7:26PM
At first I hated GOW2's multi but after the 2 patches I can say Gears 2 is actually fun to play now and just way more balanced. My friends and Ive been playing late at night again like I used to with Gears 1. Also, if the rumored fixes for patch 3 are true then the game will be damn sweet!
So, yes the game sucked when it came out but Epic listened to the fans and took action and for that I am happy.
Gearheads Rejoice!!! :)
Baby J Penn (PSN johnnynumber5) @ Jan 28th 2009 11:12PM
You guys are right that I was being a little dramatic.
It wasn't that I had just bought a 360 and decided to sell it after I had an issue with Gears 2. I had been considering it for a while and that was the last game that could pull me back into the fray. I had actually had one since launch. To be honest I really liked Horde mode (allot) and the campaign was pretty slick. I just thought the multiplayer was bad in comparison and there were still the same glitches + added glitches.
If they just released the availability of public/unranked matched instead of ranked or private I would be content.
Snowblind @ Jan 28th 2009 2:38PM
it's possible they'll just delete it from everyone. Those who legitly have the code would just be able to download it again, surely?
Lord Negatron @ Jan 28th 2009 2:43PM
I mentioned World of Warcraft fixes earlier. Internet stuff and coding (LoL), if WoW can handle Hundreds of thousands of people who received buggy items, Epic can.
People will turn the game on, and it will be back to normal most likely. They know who bought the Ltd.edition etc.